Tags:
Journalism of Courage
June 3: The city of the Maratha strongman virtually ignored the visit of Congress presidential aspirant Rajesh Pilot today.
When the former minister landed at Mumbai today as part of his countrywide tour canvassing support from various Pradesh Congress Committees, there wasn’t even a proper delegation to receive him forget groups of people pledging support. Except for P K Anna Patil, MLA from Dhule, none of the senior leaders thought it wise to even meet Pilot.
The only consolation for Pilot who was accompanied by Khurshid Alam Khan was that when he reached MPCC office at Tilak Bhavan in Dadar, he was received by MPCC President Sushilkumar Shinde, who later offered the party’s godown on the ground floor for Pilot’s meeting with the delegates as well as the members of the fourth estate.
Pilot, his sense of humour intact seemed grateful for small mercies. “At least Shinde has shown some courtesy,” he laughed. “In all the other states, where I went seeking votes, most of the senior party leaders left the city to avoid me,” Pilot told media persons.
Self-deprecation apart Pilot minced no words when it came to blasting his opponents in the presidential elections, Sitaram Kesri and Sharad Pawar. “Under the leadership of Kesri during the last nine months, we have lost all the by-elections, while Pawar was responsible for the election of a government led by communal forces in the history of Maharashtra,” Pilot added.
“I am in the race because, I am young. In fact, while addressing party workers in New Delhi recently, Kesri had himself recommended that young leadership should take the reigns of the party,” he added.
